State House officials arrest doctor over theft of government drugs

MPIGI. State House Health Services Monitoring Unit and the police in Mpigi District have arrested a medical officer and records assistant of Bukasa Health Centre III in Kituntu Sub-county over theft of government drugs.

The duo was picked up from the health centre by security personnel led by Superintendent of PoliceCollins Karugaba on Wednesday evening.

“We stormed the health centre and neither found drugs nor staff on duty. We shall not allow this bad behaviour in our health sector. So, they will be punished accordingly,” Mr Karugaba said.

Mpigi District Police commander Ahmed Kimera Sseguya told Daily Monitor that both officials were detained at Mpigi Central Police Station.

“It is true we have them in our custody. Very soon, they will be arraigned before the magistrate to face the law,” he said.

Mr Vincent Kayiwa, a resident, told this newspaper they have been complaining to Mpigi District health authorities and their local leaders about drug shortage and mismanagement of lower health units but nothing was done.

“We have welcomed their arrest but we also appeal to the government to improve on health standards through renovating the dilapidated health infrastructures and punishing the nurses who abuse and solicit bribe from patients,” Mr Kayiwa added.

Background
Earlier in September this year, the director of State House Health Services Monitoring Unit, Dr Diana Atwine, directed police to probe health officers and other civil servants in Mpigi District over theft of drugs. She was speaking during a discussion on health service delivery in the district at Mpigi Police playground. According to her findings, Shs50,000 are collected from patients for Mama kits, drugs distributed by National Medical Stores (NMS) are not accounted for because all health units have no stock cards to prove it. She said on average, only two boxes are accounted for out of 10 boxes distributed.

The State House Health Services Monitoring Unit was established by President Yoweri Museveni to unearth the rot in the country’s health sector and find a remedy for the challenges found.